A BRAVE six-year-old girl has been praised by her proud parents for delivering her baby sister using tips she picked up watching an episode of BBC1’s hospital drama Casualty.

Francesca Goodby carried out emergency midwife duties after her mum’s waters broke in the bathroom at their home in the night and the baby suddenly started to appear.

The schoolgirl was woken by her mother’s panicked screams and leapt into action, calmly talking her through the birth.

Mother Kay, 28, said she asked her: ‘Mummy are you okay?’ and “I can see the head”.

She then told her mum to push, got clean towels and made sure the umbilical cord was not wrapped around baby Roisin’s neck.

A week earlier, Francesca saw an episode of Casualty where a woman suddenly went into labour.

Francesca, who wants to be a doctor when she grows up, said: “I had to keep mummy calm. I didn’t want the cord to be wrapped around Roisin’s neck because she might have died.

I didn’t want the cord to be wrapped around Roisin’s neck because she might have died

Francesca Goodby

“I held her when she was born to keep her safe. I don’t know how I knew about it but I do watch Casualty and like it a lot.”

The birth of the 6lb 8oz baby happened so quickly her dad Michael, 33, missed her arrival after he went downstairs

to phone paramedics.

Hours earlier, Kay was discharged by a birthing centre as she was only in the early stages of labour.

At home she called her midwife to say her contractions were stronger, but was told she was not in advanced labour.

Kay, from Bearwood, Birmingham, said: “I was really surprised Francesca knew what to do and was so calm. We had watched Casualty where a lady gave birth with no help and she said ‘that’s your story mummy’.

“Michael and I are so proud of Francesca and we can’t wait to tell Roisin, when she’s older, how her sister helped bring her into the world.”